Dry-pipe valve



A. C. ROWLEY.

DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1918.

A. C. ROWLEY. v

DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT. 14. |918. 1,331,383. Patented Feb. 17,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

y UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR C. BOWLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO GLOBE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION F PENNSYLVANIA.

DRY-PIPE VALVE.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Application led September 14, 1918. Serial No. 254,129.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. RoWLEY, a citizenof the United States, residing in Philadelphiaq Pennsylvania, have invented Dry-Pipe Valves, of which the following is a specication.

One object of this invention is to provide a dr pipe valve of the general type common y vrequired in automatic sprinkler systems which while being of the maximum simplicity of construction, shall be substantial, certain in action and have its `parts so arranged as to permit low of water in a straight line through its casing without obstruction.`

It is further desired to provideI a dry pipe valve including a controlling air clapper or A =valve and a device which will prevent the reseating of said valve after it has moved a redetermined distance away from its seat 1n order to insure the opening of the main water valve` or clapfpcrz-the invention also contemplating a novel`pivotal connection between said cla per and the casing desi ed to permit of tiie convenient removal o the former, without requiring the removal of the pivot. e These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of a dry pipe valve constructedy in accordance with my invention; and

' Figs. 2 and 3 are oppositely viewed vertical sections on the lines 2-2 and 3-3 respectively, Fig. 1.

In the above drawings 1 represents a hollow casting having an lnlet 2 for connection to a water supply main and an outlet 3 for connection to the riser of a. sprinkler system. The interior of .the casing 1 is divided by a partition 4.- into a main chamber 5 and an outlet chamber 6, the latter having an extension 7 provided with anv opening normally closed by a cover plate 8. A single side plate 9, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, closes two side openings into the chambers 5 and 6.

In that part of the partition 4: between the chambers 5 and 6 is mounted a valve seat 10 axially in line with the inlet 2 and outlet 3 and there is a second valve seat 11 mounted between the inlet 2 and the chamber 5 also axially in line with said inlet and the outlet. A main air valve or clapper 12 is pivotally mounted in the chamber 6to coact with the seat 10 and a water valve 13 is pivotally mounted or hinged in tuhe chamber 5 in osition to coact with the seat 11.l For t is purpose Said valve is connected to an arm 14 by a headed stud 16 which projects into a recess in the valve, where it is confined by a plate 17 in such manner as to permit of a slight universal movement of said valve on the arm whereby the former is left free to adjust itself to the seat. Said arm is ivoted to the casing by a spindle or equiva ent device 15'.

Mounted in a part of the partition 4; which is inclined to the axial line of the inlet and outlet, is a second valve seat 18 set in an opening from the chamber 5 into the extension 7 of the chamber 6, immediately under the cover plate 8 which is bolted to a face of the casing lying in a plane at about 60 to the vertical line of the inlet and outlet.

The controlling 'air valve 19 has projections or arms 2Oa forked at their ends to engage two pins 2O projecting into the extension 7 whereby it is hinged or pivoted in position to coact with the valve seat 18. Said valve has projecting from its face into the chamber 5 a lug 21 to which is pivoted or fulcrumeda lever 22 preferably of the first order, one of Awhose arms is branched and has a cross piece 23 extending between its branches in position to be engaged by the free end of the arm 14 to which the valve 13 is attached. The second arm of the lever 22 coacts with a headed stud 24 set in a projection 25 within the chamber 5 of the casing, and the arrangement is such that said stud'or abutment acts as a fulcrum for the lever 22 when thevalve 13 and arm 111 act on the cross member 23.

In order that there may be a certain amount of lostmotion or yield between the valves 13 and 19, the latter is provided with an annular, more or less yielding face 27, clamped to it by a ring 28-and coacting with the valve seat 18. In order-that the valve 19, when raised more than a predetermined distance off of its seat 18 shall be prevented from again engaging the same, I pivot to the top part of the ring 18 a latch in the form of a weighted lever 29, one of whose arms engages the flange of the valve seat so as to hold its other and weighted arm elevated from its normal position as long as the face rin 27 of the valve 19 engages said seat. If owever, said valve turns on its pivots 2Q far enough to allow the short arm of the lever 29 to clear the flange of the valve seat 18, the weighted arm will swin into such a position that the first arm wil thereafter engage the ange and prevent the valve from seating.

Under conditions of operation, air or other fluid under pressure is introduced into the chamber 6 through the discharge opening 3 or through an opening 30. Since the main air valve 12 and the controlling air valve 19 tend to remain on their seats under the action of gravity, this iuid under pressurev acts to retain them in their seated positions, and if the water valve 13 be closed, it will be retained in such positlon against the action of water under pressure in the inlet 2 by reason of the en agement of its arm 14 by the cross bar of t e lever 23.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the area ofthe controlling air valve 19 acted on by the iiuid under pressure in the chamber 6 and the extension 7 will be properly proportioned to normally resist the force exerted on the valve 13 by the Water under pressure in the inlet 2. lf however, the fluid pressure in the chamber 6be 4 reduced beyond a predetermined point. the valve or clapper 19 is unseated, thereby permitting the cross bar 23 of the lever 22 to release the arm 14: of the water valve 13.

Said valve is then free to open under the pressure of the water, which enters the chamber 5 and swinging the valve 12 on its pivot, flows into the chamber 6, from whence it passes into the sprinkler system through the outlet 3.

It is to be noted that by reason of the peculiar hinge' construction between the controlling air valve and the casing, the former is properly positioned on its seat and is free to swing away from the same when the pressure upon it falls to -a predetermined point. In addition, when the cover plate 8 is removed, it is possible to quickly remove the valve bodily from the casing by disengaging its arms 20aL from their pivotl pins 20, 1n order to permit cleaning or inspection of the seat 18 or of the interior ef the casing.

1. The combination in a ldry pipe valve of a casing; main air and water valves therein; a controlling air valve; a lever fulcrumed to the latter valve and having a bearing on part of the casing; with an arm connected to the water valve `and hinged to the casing in position to directly en age said lever to hold the water valve closed as lon as the controlling air valve remains clos 2. The combination lin a dry pipe valve of a casing; main air and water valves therein; a controlling air valve; an arm hinged to the casing and connected to the water- `valve closed; and a projection within the casing loosely engaged by the second arm of said lever. A

4. rllhe combination in a dry pipe valve of a casing having an inlet and an outlet and provided with an opening having a normally closed cover; a partition in the casing dividing it into chambers; valve seats in the partition; a pivot pin projecting into one of the chambers; a controlling air valve for one of said seats including an open bearing for said pivot pin and removable through said openlng in the casing; main water and air valves respectively controlling iow through the inlet and the partition; and mechanism operatively connecting the water valve with the controlling air valve.

5. 'llhe combination'in a dry pipe valve of a casing having an inlet and an outlet and provided with an opening having a normally closed cover; a partition in the casing dividing it into chambers; valve seats in the partition; pivot pins projecting into one of the lchambers from opposite sides. thereof; a controlling valve for one of said seats including arms having open bearings for said pivot pins, sai-d valve being removable ARTHUR c. RowLEY. 

